On February 4-5, Bishkek is hosting the B5+1 Forum, bringing together officials and business leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the United States to explore investment opportunities and deepen economic ties, RFE/RL reported. Among the forum’s most visible participants is US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Ambassador Sergio Gor, who told
Amendments to the Family Code, the Law on Civil Status Acts, and the Law on the Protection of Citizens’ Health have been submitted for public discussion in Kyrgyzstan. The bill, published on the parliament’s website, states that a person’s gender is determined exclusively by biological characteristics recorded at birth in the birth certificate, and it
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has released a new report, The Eurasian Region and Partner Countries in Asia: Analysis of Investment Flows. The report focuses on mutual investments between 13 countries of the Eurasian region (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan) and partner countries in Asia (Afghanistan,
Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Labor, Social Welfare, and Migration has announced the launch of a new social project aimed at providing assistance to women and girls who suffer from domestic violence, as well as to victims of human trafficking. A 24-hour hotline has been launched to provide prompt and high-quality assistance to victims of domestic violence
The European Union and UN Women officially launched the Zero Violence Against Women and Girls (Zero VAWG) initiative at an inception and signing event held on 23 January in Bishkek. The event brought together senior representatives of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, development partners, and UN agencies to reaffirm their shared commitment to preventing
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved the Regional Electricity Market Interconnectivity and Trade (REMIT) Program, which will be implemented over a 10-year period across three phases to boost energy connectivity in Central Asia. The multi-phase program will establish Central Asia’s first-ever regional electricity market, increase electricity trade, expand transmission capacity, and lay the groundwork for large-scale renewable energy integration. According to the World
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is extending a €61.7 million sovereign loan to Kyrgyzstan to help it modernize its electricity grid. The loan, complemented by an investment grant of up to €3 million and technical cooperation funds of €3 million, will help to finance critical upgrades to the national electricity transmission
The National Statistical Committee of Kyrgyzstan has published data of the country’s economic development in 2025. In 2025, gross domestic product (GDP) growth was 11.1%. Industrial production grew by 10.6%, driven by a 1.7-fold growth in pharmaceutical production, increase in the production of rubber, plastic, and construction materials by 35.7%, wood, paper, and printing products
China-Central Asia economic and trade cooperation made considerable progress in 2025, with the total value of trade in goods reaching $106.3 billion, an increase of 12% compared to the previous year, Xinhua news agency reported citing the Chinese Ministry of Commerce. The trade volume between China and Central Asia exceeded the $100-billion mark for the
Kyrgyzstan has taken another step in the provision of its citizens with subsidized mortgage housing. In a ceremony on January 12, attended by President Sadyr Japarov, new owners received the keys to 1,080 mortgaged apartments as part of the second phase of the Muras residential complex construction in Bishkek. It is a project of the
Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Edil Baisalov has suggested Bishkek reassess its visa-free regime for Americans following the imposition of visa bond requirements for Kyrgyz citizens traveling to the United States. The United States has included Kyrgyzstan in a list of countries subject to visa bonds. Visa applicants from these countries are
The United States has included Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan in a list of countries subject to visa bonds. Visa applicants from these countries are required to post visa bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the U.S., according to a notice published on the U.S. State Department’s travel website. For Turkmenistan, the measure took effect on
Kyrgyzstan’s non-observed (shadow) economy, excluding the agricultural sector, accounted for 19.5% of GDP in 2024, marking a 0.3% increase from 2023’s 19.2% but a 0.7% decrease from 2022’s 20.2%, according to the latest data from the National Statistical Committee. The Committee reports a steady decline in the shadow economy’s share of GDP over recent years, estimated
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has presented its Macroeconomic Outlook for the Bank’s member states for 2026–2028. EDB analysts expect aggregate GDP growth across the seven member states to reach 2.3% in 2026, with most countries maintaining high levels of economic activity. In 2026, GDP growth is projected at 5.3% in Armenia, 1.8% in Belarus,
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Japan have launched a regional project, “Strengthening the System for Region-Wide Disaster Risk Reduction in Central Asia.” The new project, within the framework of the “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue, aims to enhance disaster resilience at both national and regional levels over two years, focusing
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, and President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon were awarded with the Leo Tolstoy International Peace Prize at a ceremony held at the Saint Petersburg State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory on December 21. The prestigious award was presented in the presence of the President of the Russian
On December 20 in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi welcomed the Presidents of the five Central Asian countries as she hosted the first Summit of the “Central Asia plus Japan” Dialogue (CA+JAD) at the leader’s level. Prime Minister Takaichi highlighted the importance and potential of the Central Asian region, including its geopolitical significance as
On December 16, London hosted an event commemorating the great Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov. Organized by the British publishing house Hertfordshire Press, which has specialized in translating and publishing works of classic and contemporary authors from Central Asia for nearly twenty years, the event was attended by over 80 guests from England, Kyrgyzstan, Scotland, Australia,
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kyrgyzstan, has begun developing the country’s first unified methodology for master planning growth hubs. To implement the Programme of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic on the formation and development of growth hubs
The cover story of the latest issue of OCA Magazine’s special edition, OCA People, features Mariiam Tobokelova, an outstanding Kyrgyz musician and komuz player, and a veteran member of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London). OCA Magazine is a quarterly magazine published in London since 2009 by Silk Road Media Group with the support of the Eurasian Creative Guild. After
